Following its collaboration during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, last year, Alibaba Cloud, the cloud technology arm of the Alibaba Group, has once again partnered with the International Olympic Committee to provide cloud services for the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Asia.
As part of its commitment to the digital transformation of large-scale sports events, Alibaba Cloud has deployed its major platforms to streamline operations, including the staff management portal and ticketing system. These platforms are hosted on the company’s scalable cloud infrastructure, ensuring seamless and efficient event organization.
“Building upon our TOP partnership with the Olympic Games since 2017, we are expanding our solutions to further drive the digital transformation of large-scale sports events,” said Selina Yuan, president of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “At Gangwon 2024, our technology will not only make event organization more efficient but also give participants, including athletes, staff, volunteers, and sports fans an unforgettable experience.”
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Gangwon 2024, ongoing until Feb. 1 in the northernmost province of South Korea, involves over 1,900 young athletes from 81 countries participating in 15 disciplines. To meet the coordination needs of the organizing committee, Alibaba Cloud established a Staff and Volunteer Management (SVM) portal, offering customized features for training, announcements, scheduling, and attendance management.
Ticketing system
The SVM portal, a critical component of the Games’ operational systems, hosted on Alibaba Cloud, facilitates effective collaboration among over 5,000 staff and volunteers at Gangwon 2024.
The Ticketing System, also deployed on Alibaba Cloud, promises stability, elasticity, and scalability during high-traffic scenarios such as ticket sales campaigns and on-site ticket checking. With support from Alibaba Cloud’s elastic computing and network security products, the ticketing system can accommodate over 460,000 spectators during the 14-day event.
A highlight of Gangwon 2024 is the first-ever cloud-based digital flame, lit alongside the Olympic flame at the Opening Ceremony. The digital flame, displayed on a physical “cauldron” at the Olympic Park, changes its backdrop in real-time to match different weather conditions in Gangwon, thanks to a content management system developed and running on Alibaba Cloud.
Hackathon
To extend the Olympic spirit to a wider audience, OBS Cloud, a broadcasting solution by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and Alibaba Cloud, transmits high-definition live signals of the competitions to Media Rights Holders (MRHs) via Live Cloud. This cost-effective and quick-setup delivery of high-quality live content replaces the need for costly international telecommunication circuits and lengthy onsite setups.
Also, to inspire young tech enthusiasts in South Korea, the Gangwon 2024 Organizing Committee and Alibaba Cloud are hosting the “Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games Alibaba Cloud Hackathon.” Participants are challenged to create a web-based metaverse application addressing real-world challenges while incorporating the brand elements of Gangwon 2024 and Alibaba Cloud. Winners will be announced during Gangwon 2024 from a group of finalists showcasing innovative projects.